Future Leaders Incubator

OUR MISSION:

to support communities through initiatives that increase diversity, talent, and longevity for educators in urban public schools.

OUR VISION: ONE DAY ALL SCHOOLS WILL HAVE A STAFF THAT IS TALENTED & DIVERSE AS THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES.

What we do: The FLI Ed Project provides access, diversity, and opportunity to the next generation of diverse leaders for PK-12 urban public schools by supporting first-time educators to secure careers as entry-level teachers, to be successful in graduate school and teacher certification programs, and to develop key competencies that will provide entry to school leadership roles with transformative impact in their schools. FLI Fellows will serve as the next generation of visionary leaders in the urban education reform movement.

The FLI Ed Project is a Job Training Program that places our Fellows in PK-12 schools. Our ability to support, coach, and select “right-fit” schools for high-potential underrepresented candidates will improve educational experiences for children, support teacher and leader retention, and provide access to much-needed potential educators to alternate teacher certification pathways. We provide:

·        2 weeks of intensive pre-service training to prepare fellows for placements in NYC public schools

·        Support, feedback, mentoring, and collaboration through milestones, and at-your-pace

·        Networking opportunities and access to dedicated professionals in the NYC education arena

·        On-going professional development and training for successful completion of a teacher Residency program, a paid full-time position in a NYC PK-12 public school

·        Teacher Certification Exam Preparation courses

Why we do it: There is a dire need for increased diversity in urban school communities. Across the country minority students have become a majority in public schools, yet more than 80 percent of teachers are white; in New York City more than 85 percent students are racial minorities, while 60 percent of their teachers are white. Further, new-to-the-profession educators are the most likely to be placed in hard-to-staff schools serving high-poverty, high-minority, and urban communities without support. This has added to the dilemma of short tenures for teachers of color in particular, as the rates at which minority teachers depart from schools is significantly higher than that of white teachers.